Conservatives Increasingly - and Properly - Concerned About the Death Penalty

In considering this life issue we are not dealing, at least presumably, with the death of the innocent. The Catholic Church opposes capital punishment, the lethal punishment inflicted by the State, because bloodless means of punishment are readily available - and the common good no longer requires its use for the protection of the public. In a civilized Nation mercy should trump justice.

Let me state very clearly, I oppose the death penalty-always have and
always will. It is a part of my deep abiding commitment to holding a
consistent ethic of life. However, I understand that some Christians do
not share my conviction. Catholic teaching opposing the death penalty is predicated upon a very
different moral ground than the Churches absolute opposition to
abortion. Abortion is intrinsically evil, always and everywhere
wrong because it is the taking of innocent defenseless life. Catholic
teaching opposes the death penalty for other reasons; it can no longer
be justified.

I was pleased to read of the efforts of Richard Viguerie to gather political conservatives together to oppose the death penalty. I have long admired Viguerie. I first met him many years ago at a retreat. I honor his sincere and tireless efforts on important policy issues over many years and both admire and share his genuine Catholic Faith.

CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) - I was pleased to read of the efforts of Richard Viguerie to gather political conservatives together to oppose the death penalty. I have long admired Viguerie. I first met him many years ago at a retreat. I honor his sincere and tireless efforts on important policy issues over many years and both admire and share his genuine Catholic Faith.

A May 24, 2014 article by Leon Neyfakh in the Bostone Globe entitled The conservative case against the death penalty is an excellent read. It made me aware of the efforts of Richard Viguerie to organize conservatives to oppose the death penalty.

Let me state very clearly, I oppose the death penalty-always have and always will. It is a part of my deep abiding commitment to holding a consistent ethic of life. However, I understand that some Christians do not share my conviction.

During all the years that I have fought on the front lines of the pro-life cause, I have been uncomfortable with being labeled. I never even officially registered Republican-though the other major party's love affair with the autonomous self and the so-called abortion right, forced me to leave the ranks of the Democrats long ago. Abortions have no rights, people do - and the first right is the fundamental human right to life.

I am a Catholic Christian. I embrace what my Church teaches because I believe that it is true. However, let's be clear; Catholic teaching opposing the death penalty is predicated upon a very different moral ground than the Churches absolute opposition to abortion.

Abortion is intrinsically evil, always and everywhere wrong because it is the taking of innocent defenseless life. Catholic teaching opposes the death penalty for other reasons; it can no longer be justified.

In considering this life issue we are not dealing, at least presumably, with the death of the innocent.

The Catholic Church opposes capital punishment, the lethal punishment inflicted by the State, because bloodless means of punishment are readily available - and the common good no longer requires its use for the protection of the public.

In a civilized Nation mercy should trump justice.

In other times in history, and in other circumstances, the Catholic Church did not formally oppose the death penalty. In fact, it was supported as within the purview of the State. However, there has always been a tradition against its use within a certain stream of Catholic thought.

The contemporary opposition to Capital punishment by the Catholic Church, what I call a merciful approach, is clearly affirmed in the Catholic Catechism:

"If bloodless means are sufficient to defend human lives against an aggressor and to protect public order and the safety of persons, public authority should limit itself to such means, because they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity with the dignity of the human person" (CCC, n. 2267).

In fact, the Catechism was amended to emphasize that the continued contemporary use of "capital punishment" adds to the growth of what St. John Paul II labeled the "Culture of Death."

In his prophetic encyclical letter, "The Gospel of Life" John Paul vividly exposed contemporary culture as a "Culture of Death" having lost its understanding of the inviolable dignity of every human life. Calling abortion the "cutting edge" of the "Culture of Death" he drew a connection to the contemporary use of executions warning the State that in implementing their role of applying justice

"the nature and extent of the punishment must be carefully evaluated and decided upon, and ought not go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society. Today, however, as a result of steady improvements in the organization of the penal system, such cases are very rare if not practically non-existent" ("The Gospel of Life," n. 56).

The language is strong and clear.

I have always found it intriguing that we have examples of significant leaders in both the Old and the New Testament who could have been put to death for their offenses. Moses killed an Egyptian (Exodus 2). Saul of Tarsus stood by in what was arguably complicity at the death of Stephen the Deacon. (Acts 8)

But there is much more at issue.

As a former prosecutor, I believe there are many reasons to justify its elimination from both Federal and State criminal justice systems. For example; our history as a Nation demonstrates a disparate application and the advance of the science of DNA continues to prove that we have made mistakes and convicted innocent people.

From the regular stream of news articles such as this one, we are
increasingly reminded that errors are made in prosecutions. The stories
from the Innocence Project should be enough to give us all pause.

There is a growing discomfort with the death penalty in America and it crosses all political lines. Capital Punishment is an issue where the labels have most assuredly lost what little value they might have ever had.

Sadly, in a rush to multiply executions in what seems to be some misguided effort to lower the crime rate, (unsupported by the statistics concerning whether capital punishment has had any effect in lowering crime), both Democrats and Republicans seem to be "out-toughing" one another on this issue these days.

Ironically, some contemporary "liberals" who oppose the death penalty fail to see the extraordinary duplicity in their approach. They should listen to their own arguments in their opposition and reconsider their position on the issue of abortion.

Some, like the Reverend Jesse Jackson, know the complete hypocrisy of their approach. He was formerly an ardent opponent of abortion, until his political ambitions blinded him to the cry of the ones whom Mother Teresa called the "poorest of the poor", children in the womb.

Then there are the conservatives who suffer from what I call their "compassion confusion." They oppose the execution in the womb but support execution outside of it. On their right flank are their newfound friends, some libertarians who support both kinds of execution. Not all libertarians do.

Even some of my well-intended Christian friends, especially my Catholic brethren, who correctly and compassionately oppose both, fail to make the vital distinction as to the foundation of the opposition of Catholic teaching to killing the pre-born - and executing capital offenders.

The article in the Globe pointed me to an organization I will be researching and writing about in the future. It is called Conservatives Concerned about the death penalty. It is time for a National discussion of the death penalty for many reasons. Richard Viguerie is right.

Pope Francis Prayer Intentions for March 2015
Universal: Scientists: That those involved in scientific research may serve the well-being of the whole human person.
Evangelization: Contribution of women: That the unique contribution of women to the life of the Church may be recognized always.

The media would have you believe there are two kinds of Republicans, the "moderate" Republicans and the "TEA Party" Republicans. This is an artificial construct, a myth perpetuated by the media. In reality, there is the Establishment versus the people. LOS ANGELES, CA ... continue reading

The arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, into the United States, has sparked controversy among the Congress and the Presidential administration. Although National Security Adviser, Susan Rice, stated Netanyahu's arrival would be "destructive to the ... continue reading

Just
just in time - with new terrorist concerns at an all-time high,
Congress finally voted 357-60 in the House in order to keep the
Department of Homeland Security open. The final vote came little more
than an hour after the Senate cleared the measure. LOS ... continue reading

The
news is SHOCKING. Evidently, U.S. President Barack Obama is either
hidebound to improve relations between the U.S. and Iran, or no longer
values Israel's friendship in the Middle East. According to Kuwaiti
newspaper Al-Jarida, a reliable source says Obama ... continue reading

Banning
all firearms across the United States would take a massive effort, and
certainly not many Americans would willingly give up their protection.
According to a memo, U.S. President Barack Obama intends to use his
executive powers to ban the bullets for the ... continue reading

Workers
living and employed here illegally appear to be on a fast track to join
the American dream. According to a Congressional Research Service, or
CRS, memo, those illegal immigrants able to obtain Social Security
Numbers and work permits due to President ... continue reading

The
hotly debated "Net Neutrality" - which will determine how the 21st
Century's preferred mode of communication and information - is not a
sure thing, just yet. Democrat Mignon Clyburn on the Federal
Communications Commission wants to narrow the scope of new ... continue reading

It
looks like Democrats can dish it out, but can't take it. One of the
stipulations of health care reform, or "Obamacare" was those who chose
not to enroll had to pay a penalty come tax time. Now, as millions begin
to file their taxes, Democrats are having ... continue reading

Porous
borders - one where demarcations are hazy and ill-defined, allowing
people to cross over into another country without proper accounting, was
one of the reasons for the Ebola crisis in East Africa. There exists a
similar situation between the United ... continue reading